Moonlit Shadows

Arrivals

The two women behind her did not seem thrilled about their trip, according to their chat.

"My grandmother has been begging me to come see her."

"Why?"

"She swears she's going to die soon. She's crazy."

Two elderly gentlemen across the aisle from her were smiling and discussing restaurant recommendations.

"I wonder if that ramen place is still there. I haven't been there in over twenty years."

"I heard from my cousin the owner died. Place closed up."

"That's too bad. Good ramen for cheap."

Jaci continued to eavesdrop while closing her eyes. Kids whined to their parents, and wrappers from candy bribes crackled in the air that smelled strongly of old vinyl and cheap colognes.

It was a leisurely two hour bus ride. Jaci was glad when it was finally over so she could plant her feet on solid ground again.

Everyone filed out of the bus and Jaci waited till last, dreading the moment she stood up. When she did, multiple places on her body cracked and popped.

She gathered her luggage as soon as the driver unloaded it, and while other passengers hopped into taxis to go on to more rural destinations, Jaci stood looking at a small town that seemed stuck in a bygone era.

The next thing she saw was the mountain itself looming over the city. She felt pin prickles creep over her skin. She was finally here! The place that had been just a blip on the radar of an old professor and his curious assistant now stood as a towering character in a story shrouded with mystery and intrigue.

She finally began walking towards the gas station that the bus had stopped at. Walking into the small building, she looked around and saw an elderly man behind the counter. He was slightly stooped over and wearing glasses as thick as the bottom of a soda bottle.

"No English!" he said gruffly.

Jaci grinned and shook her head. "I just arrived. Maybe you could give me directions to the place I'm staying?"

The man smiled widely as Jaci spoke. "You speak Korean!"

"Yes," she said.

"Where are you looking for?"

Jaci noted the small man was now exuding a little more hospitable warmth. "The Claret Guest House?"

"Ah! Yes. It's down two blocks, then you go left down the first alley...actually, I can show you? It's simpler than explaining."

Jaci felt hesitant. This man looked old enough to be her great, great grandfather. She was more worried about him hurting himself then the fact she had to drag her luggage around.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Yes! We don't see many foreign visitors here. I own this gas station and it's usually the first place new people go to when they arrive, unless they're locals. The last foreigner I ever saw was about twenty years ago." The man flipped around an old "open" sign, alerting any future patrons the station was closed.

Jaci's ears perked up. She walked beside the man as they made their way down the two blocks. "Oh? That's a long time ago."

"Yes, it was. But I remember her well. She spoke Korean like you!" He chuckled a wheezy kind of laugh.

"She surprised me..."

Jaci listened with new found energy. If this man had been here twenty years ago when Sunny had come here he might remember her.